St. Thomas Aquinas: Reason, Faith, and Natural Law
Reason and Faith
A preliminary question to understanding Thomist thought is the solution given by St. Thomas to the scholastic problem: the compatibility of reason and faith. Reason alone can attain knowledge of the truths of the world (ontology). About God, however, reason can only say “what not” (natural theology). That God is, can only be known by man through reason if it becomes the handmaiden of faith, to clarify their meaning (revealed theology).
Natural Theology
The Summa Theologica begins
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The Compatibility of Reason and Faith
A preliminary question in understanding Thomist thought is the solution given by St. Thomas to the scholastic problem: the compatibility of reason and faith. Reason alone can attain knowledge of the truths of the world (ontology). About God, however, reason can only say “what not” (natural theology). The God that is, can only be known by man through reason if it becomes the handmaiden of faith, to clarify its meaning (revealed theology).
Natural Theology
The Summa
Read MoreKant’s Critique of Reason: Knowledge, Morality, and the Search for Meaning
Introduction
Immanuel Kant, a pivotal figure in Enlightenment philosophy, sought to establish a foundation for reason, morality, and the human experience. He challenged traditional philosophical approaches, arguing that our understanding of the world is shaped by the structure of our minds. Kant’s philosophy is characterized by his emphasis on the role of reason in shaping our knowledge and guiding our actions.
Critique of Pure Reason: The Limits of Knowledge
What Can I Know?
Kant’s Critique of Pure
Read MoreThe Art of Persuasion: Mastering Rhetorical Techniques
Chapter 1: The Power of Concession
Concession: Rhetorical jujitsu that uses your opponent’s move to your advantage. (Let’s tweak it)
Manipulation: Instruction
The ancients considered rhetoric the essential skill of leadership—knowledge so important that they placed it at the center of higher education.
Amplification: It’s a form of an essential rhetorical tactic that turns up the volume as you speak (infomercials).
Great argument does not always mean elaborate speech; though the most effective rhetoric
Read MorePlato’s Allegory of the Cave and its Relevance
Plato’s Allegory of the Cave
Historical Context
Plato was born in 427 B.C. during the Peloponnesian War between Athens and Sparta. Athens was in crisis, with aristocrats imposing tyranny after the Thirty Tyrants’ rule. This led to the abolishment of democracy and subsequent civil war. After democracy was restored, Socrates was condemned to death. This crisis extended to the cultural sphere, as the economic downturn halted the grand architectural projects of the 5th century B.C.
Witnessing these events,
Read MoreNietzsche’s Philosophy: Overcoming Nihilism and the Will to Power
Overcoming Nihilism in Nietzsche’s Thought
The Tragedy as a Representation of Life
The opposition of the will to power represents the Apollo-Dionysus opposition. With two art deities, Apollo and Dionysus, our knowledge of the Greek world binds a monstrous antithesis, source, and goals. Both drives are so different in companionship that they perpetuate the struggle of that antithesis, finally generating the matching artwork of Attic tragedy, which is Dionysian in the same way as Apollonian.
Tragedy
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